Oulun Kärpät

Oulun Kärpät
City	Oulu
League	SM-liiga
Founded	1946 (1946)
Home arena	Oulun Energia Areena (capacity 6,614)
Colors
General manager	Juha Junno
Head coach	Hannu Aravirta
Captain	Ilkka Mikkola
Affiliate(s)	Kiekko-Laser (Mestis), Hokki (Mestis)
Website www.oulunkarpat.fi

Oulun Kärpät is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga based in Oulu, Finland. Their logo features a stoat (Mustela erminea); "kärpät" is Finnish for stoats or ermines. The team has won five league championships (1981, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008).

History

In the spring of 1946, three young men decided to found a new sports club in Oulu. At the constitutional meeting on May 15, the club was named Oulun Kärpät 46. At first, Kärpät played football and its first winter sport was bandy.

In the first annual meeting in January 1947, an ice hockey section was established. At the beginning of the new decade, Kärpät was somewhat successful in ice hockey and it became the main sport of the club. The first game at the highest level was played on the December 4, 1960 against HJK but the visit to the highest level was short and Kärpät lost their position in the series. They made it to the highest level again in 1965–66, but lost their position again. The third try in 1967–68 did not produce a better performance, as Kärpät lost all their games.

From the first years on, junior work was important for Kärpät. E-juniors won the first Finnish Championship for Kärpät in the spring of 1971. When the SM-liiga was founded in August 1975, Kärpät started in the first division. Their goal was to rise to the league. It didn’t happen in the first season, but in 1976. In the next season Kärpät was 7th and then last, but they still remained at the league with ease. After Kärpät acquired some good players, they won the bronze medals in 1980.

In the following year, Kärpät was third in the regular series but in the finals they defeated Tappara. Next year, the weakened team had to settle for 5th place, and the following year they were almost relegated. With a new coach, the goal was to win a medal and finally Kärpät won the bronze. The next goal was to win the championship, but Kärpät only managed to get bronze for the following two years. Kärpät won the regular series in 1987 but they lost to Tappara in the finals. Hopes were high for the next season, but Kärpät fell from the league.

In the 2005 finals Kärpät beat Jokerit in Helsinki to win their second consecutive championship with 3 wins to 1.

Kärpät facing off against Blues in 2006 playoffs.

The goal was to rise again shortly but it did not work out. Due to financial constraints, Kärpät went into bankruptcy, but in the fall of 1995 they made it to the first division again. In the first year they came 8th and lost in the play offs. Next year they went against KalPa for a place in the league but lost. In the following year, they lost against KalPa again. For the 1998–99 season, Kärpät acquired coach Juhani Tamminen. After they played very well in the regular series they lost to TuTo in the play offs.

The next year, Kärpät finally qualified to the SM-liiga by beating Pelicans Lahti in the qualification series. The first season in the Elite league was full of ups and downs but Kärpät finished 4th, and 6th the following season. After that they finally made it to the finals but lost against Tappara just like in 1987. In the 2003–04 season, Kärpät played in the finals against TPS and finally won their second Finnish Championship. In 2004–05, Kärpät won the Finnish Championship again when they defeated Jokerit in the finals, winning the best-of-five series 3–1. They retained the championship title in the 2006–07 season by beating Jokerit in the finals (3 wins to none) and winning all their games in the playoffs. The first three championships of the 2000s have been celebrated in Oulu with feasts, each gathering tens of thousands of people to rejoice. In the 2007–2008 season, the organization won its second consecutive championship title, and the fourth within the last five years, by defeating Espoo Blues in the finals with four wins to one.

When Oulun Kärpät Oy was founded in 2000 it took the responsibility off the representative team and A-juniors. Oulun Kärpät 46 ry focuses on other junior work.

Current squad

Goalkeepers
Number		Player	Glove hand	Contract	Place of Birth
1		Ville Hostikka	L	2013	Lappeenranta, Finland
33		Tomi Karhunen	L	2013	Oulu, Finland

Defenders
Number		Player	Lower hand	Contract	Place of Birth
5		Atte Ohtamaa	L	2012	Nivala, Finland
6		Ilkka Mikkola	L	2012	Oulu, Finland
25		Juho Jokinen	L	2012	Kalajoki, Finland
26		Mikko Lehtonen	L	2012	Kiiminki, Finland
28		Mikko Niemelä	R	2013	Oulu, Finland
50		Nico Lehto	L	2013	Oulu, Finland
8		Ville Mäntymaa	R	2013	Seinäjoki, Finland
44		Jan Snopek	R	2012	Prague, Czech Republic
15		Oscar Eklund	L	2012	Stockholm, Sweden
2		Ville Pokka	R	youth	Tornio, Finland

Forwards
Number		Player	Lower hand	Contract	Place of Birth
11		Kimmo Koskenkorva	L	2012	Haukipudas, Finland
12		Pekka Saarenheimo	L	2012	Oulunsalo, Finland
13		Julius Junttila	L	2013	Oulu, Finland
18		Mikko Alikoski	L	2012	Oulu, Finland
19		Juho Keränen	R	2014	Keitele, Finland
21		Tomi Körkkö	L	youth	Oulu, Finland
22		Miikka Salomäki	L	2013	Raahe, Finland
23		Joonas Kemppainen	L	2013	Kajaani, Finland
24		Jari Viuhkola	L	2012	Oulu, Finland
72		Joonas Donskoi	R	2012	Raahe, Finland
30		Joonas Komulainen	L	2013	Kuhmo, Finland
49		Veli-Matti Koponen	R	2012	Lahti, Finland
71		Ivan Huml	L	2012	Kladno, Czech Republic
27		Juha-Pekka Haataja	R	2016	Oulu, Finland
16		Markus Korkiakoski	L	2014	Oulu, Finland
37		Simon Suoranta	L	youth	Vaasa, Finland
82		Michal Vondrka	L	2012	Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

Famous players

Reijo Ruotsalainen – Reijo Ruotsalainen helped Kärpät win its first domestic championship in 1980–81 before moving to New York Rangers in the NHL. Later he moved to Edmonton Oilers where he won two Stanley Cups. He also played for New Jersey Devils. In total he played 532 matches in the NHL totalling 391 points. Ruotsalainen has also been selected to the NHL All-Star game.

Janne Niinimaa – The offensive defenseman started his career in Kärpät in the Finnish First Division before joining Jokerit in 1993. Has played a total of 800 NHL matches in Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens scoring 343 points. Has been selected to NHL-All Rookie Team in 1996–97 and All-Star team in 2000-01 and has won an Olympic bronze medal and World Championship with Team Finland.

Tim Thomas – Boston Bruins The current number one goalie Tim Thomas played in the 2001-02 season with Kärpät. Although the team didn't get far in the playoffs, Thomas played a successful season of 32 games with a .925 save percentage. Thomas wins the Vezina Trophy in the 2010-2011 NHL season.

Niklas Bäckström – Bäckström started his goaltending career in HIFK but made his break-through while playing in Kärpät 2002–06. Currently Bäckström is the starting goaltender for the Minnesota Wild.

Jussi Jokinen – Jokinen began his career with Kärpät and moved to the NHL after totaling 47 points in 56 matches in the 2004–05 season. In the NHL he has played for Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes.

Joni Pitkänen – Pitkänen started his career with Kärpät and was drafted 1st round 4th overall in the 2002 NHL draft by Philadelphia Flyers. He is currently playing at Carolina Hurricanes and has also played a season at Edmonton Oilers for a total of 379 NHL games scoring 188 points.

Pekka Rinne – Rinne began his career as an understudy to Niklas Bäckström before moving to North America in 2005. He is now considered the first choice goaltender at Nashville Predators and also made his national team debut at the 2009 World Championships. He was also one of the 3 finalists for the Vezina Trophy in the 2010-2011 NHL season.

Retired numbers

• 10 – Reijo Ruotsalainen

External links

• Kärpät official web site (Finnish)
• Kärpät junior official web site
• Kärpät official fan club
• Meltzer, Bill. NHL.com 'Across the Pond', article about Kärpät